Some U-S Outlets Continue Their News Broadcasts

At least one of the US-funded international networks in President Trump’s crosshairs is going to court to contest his shutdown order.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which broadcasts news and information in 27 languages across Eastern Europe, Asia and the Middle East, said in a statement last weekend’s grant termination “would violate the Constitution and federal laws.”

Officials filed a lawsuit in US District Court on Tuesday afternoon.

CNN reported earlier Tuesday that the leaders of Radio Free Europe and other US-funded networks have instructed their organizations to ignore Trump’s order and continue broadcasting because they believe the terminations were unlawful.

The entities – also including Radio Free Asia and Middle East Broadcasting Networks – are continuing to operate around the world while network executives contemplate next steps.\

On Tuesday Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty CEO Stephen Capus said in a statement that “this is not the time to cede terrain to the propaganda and censorship of America’s adversaries. We believe the law is on our side and that the celebration of our demise by despots around the world is premature.”

A US Agency for Global Media spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The top story on the English-language edition of Radio Free Asia’s website Tuesday morning noted that “Asian dissidents” and activists were voicing “dismay” over the funding freeze.

President Trump signed an executive order on Friday night calling for the dismantling of the USAGM and several other federal agencies. The next morning, journalists at the Voice of America were told to stop working immediately, and employees were placed on administrative leave. Some were officially laid off on Sunday while others remain in a holding pattern.

Voice of America’s website is now frozen in time, with old articles like “forecasters warn of tornadoes in US in coming days” still on the home page, even though the stories from Saturday are now out of date.

VOA employees work directly for the federal government, which is why Trump loyalist Kari Lake – recently named a senior adviser to the agency – was able to take such dramatic action.

But most of the agency’s other networks are structured as nonprofit organizations that are funded through federal grants, and that distance is making a big difference right now.

Lake sent memos to the networks on Saturday telling them that their grants were terminated, effective immediately, and suggesting that any unused funds must be refunded.

The work continues, for now.